Distillation of tar and the like



S. W. A. WIKNER DISTILLATION 0F TAR AND THE LIKE Filed May 12, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 PUMP DEJHYDRA'TORJ CRUDE TAR:

GONDEN 5BR,

P ITCH VAT IN BNTOR S. W. A. WIKNER DISTILLATION OF TAR AND THE LIKE Filed May 12, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ovsrerpow J11] STEAM llli nil

TREATED TAR.

oouosusisn VAPOR;

TNVENTOR S. W. A. WIKNER,

B 1115 Atbovneys,

Patented Dec. 30, 1924.

ATES

SIGURD WALFRID ALBERT WIKNER, OF NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND, AS-

SIGNOR OF ONE-EIGHTH TO NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE 85 GATESHEAD GAS COMPANY, OF NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND.

DISTILLATION 0F TAB AND THE LIKE.

Application filed May 12, 1922. Serial No. 560,371.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIGURD WALFRID AL- BERT WIKNER, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 33 Grainger Street west, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Distillation of Tar and the like, of which the following is a specification.

Hitherto tar and the like which is to undergo fractional distillation has been subjected to one or other of two preliminary treatments. According to one method the tar possibly previously heated but not substantially dehydrated has been heated by the vapours resulting from the main still, while according to the other method the tar has been heated by fire or other means so as to drive off the water contained in it and has then been passed direct to the main still. According to this invention the tar or the like is subjected to a preliminary dehydrating process whereby it is substantially totally dehydrated, I then pass the tar so dehydrated and heated to apparatus in which it is further heated by the vapours resulting from the main distillation and then pass it to the main still.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, Figures '1 and 2 of which show in plan and elevation respectively the general and well known arrangement of plant for efiecting the distillation of tar with certain additions according to this invention. Figure 3 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section, Figure 4 is a transverse sectionand Figure 5 a plan or preferred apparatus for effecting the preliminary dehydration of the tar.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the crude tar is delivered through pipe A to apparatus'B in which substantially the whole, of the moisture contained in the tar is removed from it. The dehydrated tar is then forced b a pump C to a vessel E in which is a coil F through which the vapours from one of the mainstills G pass. The dehydrated tar is further heated in the vessel E from the bottom of which it flows by pi H to a second vessel'l] similar tell an thence to a third similar vessel E From E the tarry liquid passes to a coil K in a pitch vat L wherein it-is further heated and then passes to the first main still G and then to the other stills G G The vapours from these stills G, G G pass to the coils in the vessels E, E E where they are cooled and are then condensed in condensers M, M M The pitch from still G passes to the vat L.

Referring now to Figures 3 to 5, which give details of the apparatus B, the pipe A elivers the crude tar into a chamber N provided with an overflow 0 from which I any surplus tar delivered passes back to the reservoir. This chamber communicates through a pipe P with the bottom of the tank B the level ofthe tar in which is therefore kept constant at the level of the overflow 0. Just below the level of the liquid is a series of pipes Q to which steam can be introduced through a pipe R and from which it passes away through a pipe S. The water vapour and any other vapour, which-are driven off from the liquid by the heat in the pipes Q,,pass down through pipes T to. coils U in which the vapours are condensed so that no heat is lost, and the condensed vapours flow-away from these coils U which may be'connected if desired to a small condenser. The dehydrated tar is removed from the tank B through a pipe V by the pump C.

It has been. found that as, a result of this treatment it is possible efiiciently to distil in certain plants double the amount of tar per day that was possible when either preliminary treatment was employed alone, and

that the cost per ton of tar is considerably reduced.

What I claim is A procem for the distillation of tar which comprises delivering tarry, liquid into a closed vessel at such a rate that it stands at a constant level therein slightly above an outlet, vaporizing the water contained in the liquid by heating it in a zone between the level of the liquid and the outlet, heating the bulk of the lltfi lld by means of the watery vapors driven o therefrom, distilling the tarpassing from said outlet, and leading back the vapors resulting from said distillation and causing them to heat the ta prior to said distillation.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 have signed my name this 26th day of April, 1922.

SIGURD WALFMWALBERT WHKNER. 

